The U.S. price of 80GB PS3 = $499 today, 40GB model on Nov. 2 = $399

[scooby_dooby]

The spike is pretty meaningless if it's only for a week. We saw the same thing with the last pricedrop in the US, a 200% increase, which lasted for 1 week, and then tailed off. The end result was an extra 90k sold or something.

Now if they see that sort of rise for a month, that would be a sign of a real impact.

 

[patsu]

I wouldn't say meaningless

We should see what other announcements are around the corner too (before the holiday season). Remember... good news is better served like a 10-course dinner (stacking one after another). Bad news should be delivered in 1 blow.

If Sony can follow through, then the situation will change (perhaps slowly but steadily).

 

[scooby_dooby]

I wouldn't say meaningless

We should see what other announcements are around the corner too (before the holiday season). Remember... good news is better served like a 10-course dinner (stacking one after another). Bad news should be delivered in 1 blow.

If Sony can follow through, then the situation will change (perhaps slowly but steadily).

It's fairly meaningless because it's completely expected, and represents an insignificant amount of actual units.

 

[Crossbar]

Not sure..you'd think not. But on the other hand, IIRC, the sticker submitted for the back of the machine is white in that filing instead of black, like for the others. Might mean nothing, of course.

Yeah, very likely, the model names are pretty similar as well.

Japanese model:

Model filed to FCC:

 

[Mintmaster]

There has also been an FCC leak about another SKU coming, "001" vs. the 40GB model.

Given how weird it seems to need a new FCC filing for just a paint job, anyone here think that this might be an 80GB model without backwards compatibility?

 

[Carl B]

Given how weird it seems to need a new FCC filing for just a paint job, anyone here think that this might be an 80GB model without backwards compatibility?

I do.

 

[patsu]

It's fairly meaningless because it's completely expected, and represents an insignificant amount of actual units.

I don't think I get you, scooby. How does expectation determine whether something is meaningless or not ? e.g., If I expected Halo 3 to sell around 3 million in September, then Halo 3 is a meaningless act ?

This is just a piece of their strategy. The total package will convince more buyers. As for how many and what % goes to Blu-ray camp, I don't know. Sony should reveal more plans, betas and games over the next few weeks. If not, they are not maximizing the mileage of the price drop.

 

[AlphaWolf]

This is just a piece of their strategy. The total package will convince more buyers. As for how many and what % goes to Blu-ray camp, I don't know. Sony should reveal more plans, betas and games over the next few weeks. If not, they are not maximizing the mileage of the price drop.

Sony's numbers from September paint a rather bleak outlook for NA. The $100 price drop for the 60gb unit really didn't have a lasting effect, I don't see how the same drop on the 80gb unit is going to do a lot more, value buyers are going to see that the 40gb unit really isn't a much better deal than the 80gb unit and $399 for the 40gb still isn't low enough to suck in people who were buying the ps2 at $199.

They are going to need to sell it as a blu-ray player over the holiday, but I'm not sure there's that many people looking to dump $400 on a machine to play blu-ray movies. They need a couple of killer apps to go with the price drop, but I don't see them on the horizon. Uncharted could be great, but I wouldn't pin the hopes of PS3 on it. Sony really just has to suck it up and position themselves for an incredible 2008.

 

[patsu]

The subsequent monthly numbers will tell as usual. Major PS3 titles will be in too.

While I don't expect Halo kind of numbers, I do think that Sony can now market the total package more effectively, rather than simply skimming the market (waiting for rich buyers to go to them).

 

[Archgamer]

Sony's numbers from September paint a rather bleak outlook for NA. The $100 price drop for the 60gb unit really didn't have a lasting effect, I don't see how the same drop on the 80gb unit is going to do a lot more, value buyers are going to see that the 40gb unit really isn't a much better deal than the 80gb unit and $399 for the 40gb still isn't low enough to suck in people who were buying the ps2 at $199.

It didn't have a lasting effect because it was a clearance. The numbers for July was very good. It started falling off after MS did their price cut the following month. And then we have Halo 3 in September. As long as the 80 gig with the price drop and the 40 gig releases stays in the chains it's an effective strategy that will work to keep Sony in pace of MS. MS is going with bundles this time. We'll see how effective that is.

The PS2 sold 24 million before it went to 199 last time I check.

 

[AlphaWolf]

It didn't have a lasting effect because it was a clearance.

It's not like they've gone out of supply. I can still buy one, 4 months after this clearance started.

 

[patsu]

Sure... it lasted for a month without new interesting games. More new titles are just coming in, plus whatever marketing activities Sony planned for the holiday season, and any other positive announcements (if available).

They do have some outstanding PR issues to address. The recent Peter Dille and Jack Tretton interviews don't cut it.

Let's see.

EDIT: I also believe they owe us another firmware update, and a beta or two before end of the year

 

[betan]

Given how weird it seems to need a new FCC filing for just a paint job, anyone here think that this might be an 80GB model without backwards compatibility?

Unlikely as SCE* has been differentiating models using HDD size. I doubt they will create more confusion with all the SKUs around. Color is a different issue of course.

 

[Crossbar]

Unlikely as SCE* has been differentiating models using HDD size. I doubt they will create more confusion with all the SKUs around. Color is a different issue of course.

A change of color or enclosure material may very well change the EMI characteristics of the box, making a new FCC filing warranted.

 

[infinity4]

Too little too late. Low price doesn't give incentive to buy because there aren't many games that aren't on 360 but on ps3 that makes ps3 worth buying.

 

[liolio]

Ms seems really strong in US way more than in Europe.
At this point even if the price cut has the same effect as in Europe, Sony will lag behind Ms by a huge margin, more the new sku from MS are also coming.

 

[Crossbar]

Too little too late. Low price doesn't give incentive to buy because there aren't many games that aren't on 360 but on ps3 that makes ps3 worth buying.

Your post does not make any sense. So if they had lowered the price more and earlier, would there have been more games on the PS3 that were not on the 360?

With your way of thinking the PS3 was screwed from the very start.

Most people think lowering the price is the right move.

The attraction of blu-ray will probably make up some for the lack of a larger set of exclusive titles, how much the holiday sales will show. What is obvious is that the 360 is very strong on its home market.

 

[Nesh]

Given how weird it seems to need a new FCC filing for just a paint job, anyone here think that this might be an 80GB model without backwards compatibility?

Probably the architecture is improved for better and cheaper production. Similar to the internal changes PS2 has passed as well.

 

[BoardBonobo]

483% increase in sales on Amazon.com. It's definately having an impact. The sitting on the fence people seem to be making up their minds!

 

[liolio]

483% is impressive!!
Can't wait for october Numbers.